Our Journey
by Kristen3
Summary: Now happily married, Daphne has a dream which reminds her how it all started, and how different things could've been if she'd been aware of Niles' feelings. But maybe it was all for the best. One-shot.


Exhausted after a day of housework and chores, Daphne was grateful to finally get into bed next to Niles. On nights like this, she was so grateful to have him beside her. Niles' slow, even breathing lulled her to sleep almost immediately.

 _The next thing she knew, she was back at Frasier's old apartment in Elliot Bay Towers. Before she could register how odd that was, since her brother-in-law was now in Chicago, she realized something else was strange. Daphne saw herself standing at the dining table, apparently folding a load of laundry. It was a trip back in time, with an out-of-body experience thrown in. Daphne knew this must have been shortly after she'd taken the job as Martin's physical therapist._

 _Daphne began to notice other things about the place that had been her home for over eight years. The familiar green chair, and the couch Frasier was so attached to. The doorbell rang, and Frasier went to answer it. Daphne gasped, seeing the man who was now her husband enter the apartment. Suddenly, she realized – this was the night they'd met!_

 _The two brothers made small talk. Niles made a wisecrack about Frasier's radio show. And then, it happened. "Daphne, this is my brother, Niles."_

 _Daphne saw her former self look up at him for a brief second. She greeted him, but it was clear this meant nothing more to her than meeting her boss' brother._

 _But Niles reacted differently. "You're Daphne?"_

" _Why yes, I am."_

" _When Frasier told me he'd hired an Englishwoman, I pictured someone more….not quite so….you're Daphne?"_

" _It's nice to meet you." She shook his hand politely. Once again, the observing Daphne could see that there was no indication of what was to come. It was the moment when she met the love of her life, and yet she'd barely even acknowledged him._

 _Suddenly, Daphne saw the next seven years in her mind, the Snow Ball, the night they'd shared a drink at a bar, and she told him she loved him, in the most platonic way possible. Then, her proposal from Donny, which shattered Niles' heart._

 _All that time, Niles loved me, she thought. I broke his heart._

Suddenly, Daphne awoke, back in her bed next to Niles. But the dream stayed with her. She looked over at her husband, peacefully asleep beside her. He loved her. She was more certain of that than of anything else in her life. Niles kissed her and sent flowers regularly. He never missed a chance to remind her.

"But why?" she whispered to herself. For seven years, she'd tortured him, dating other men, all the while being blind to the love that was right in front of her.

Niles sensed movement when his wife sat up. He awoke, and was alarmed at the expression on her face. "My love, what's wrong?" He took her hand, gently caressing it.

"I had a dream," she said, not even looking at him.

"Oh. Was I in it?" Niles asked, grinning mischievously. Daphne usually starred in his dreams, and very often they were rather adult dreams. The kind he'd never once had about Maris or Mel.

"Yes, you were. But we weren't here."

"Where were we? The Snow Ball?" More than once, Niles had relived that night, and the way it had felt to hold her on the dance floor.

"No. We were at your brother's. It was the night we met. Do you remember?"

"How could I ever forget? It isn't often you see an angel right in front of you, doing laundry." He kissed her cheek.

"But, Niles, I saw it happen. I mean, I know I was there, but I also saw meself talking to you. Does that make sense?"

Niles chuckled. When it came to Daphne, sometimes nothing made sense. And yet, he loved her for it. "You saw both of us?"

"Yes. And when your brother introduced us, I barely glanced at you. I shook your hand, but that was it."

"Well, what did you expect? Fireworks?" Niles couldn't quite understand what his wife was so upset about.

"There I was, meeting the love of me life, and I hardly even noticed you. And I don't need to tell you what happened after that. You were so sweet and kind to me for years, secretly wishing that I'd notice you, and I didn't."

Now Niles understood. "You have to remember, I was a married man for most of that time. I had to keep my feelings a secret. You can't blame yourself for not knowing."

"I know that," Daphne said, sighing. "But it just seems so unfair. If only I'd known, things might've been different. We could've avoided so much trouble." Without warning, a tear made its way down her cheek.

Niles brushed the tear away before it could fall. "We did take a few detours on our journey. I won't say there weren't low points. But, Daphne, it was all _so_ worth it. The moment you walked into that Winnebago and asked if I was free…that was the best moment of my life."

Finally, Daphne smiled at the memory. It was a lifetime ago now, running away from her wedding to Donny. And, though there were still a few hurdles after that, it truly was the beginning of the happiest time in her life.

"Actually," Niles said, grateful to see Daphne happy again. "That was the second best moment of my life. The first was in the vet's office, seeing you holding our son."

Daphne thought of three-year-old David, sound asleep in the next room. Even though his boundless energy made him quite a handful, Daphne loved him more than she'd thought possible. She smiled. "He really is wonderful, isn't he?"

Niles nodded. "He is. And every time I hear him laugh, or see you smile, I know that every second was worth it. I don't regret the heartache or the loneliness. It just reminds me to be grateful to have you here and to have our son. Everything else is in the past, my love." He leaned forward, giving her lips a gentle kiss.

When her lips met Niles', she realized how lucky she was. She thought back to the memory she'd seen, and how that girl she saw had no idea how her life was about to change. The road might have been harder than she'd liked. But she ended up somewhere better than she ever could have imagined.

 **The End**


End file.
